But there was something about Russ, a beat-up and abandoned pit bull, that spoke directly to her heart.

"He was just sitting there, all proper, not making any noise, and he had these sad, puppy-dog eyes,” she told InsideEdition.com Thursday.

The 20-year-old college student was instantly smitten. And so, apparently, was Russ, a brown-and-white bundle of gentle affection.

Photos of Russ cuddling with his new owner have gone nuts on social media, with more than 300,000 likes.

“This is like crazy,” Filoon said of Russ’ newfound fame. “Because he’s a pit bull, it’s eye-opening for a lot of people.”

The breed is sometimes considered dangerous because of its powerful jaws, and is often bred and trained to fight and kill other dogs.

“I took him out and we went for a car ride. I bought him some chicken nuggets,” Filoon said, laughing. “He just sat in the passenger seat like a little gentleman. I just knew I was going to adopt him. I got him that night.”